Family run business Wyncraft Essay Example for Free

Family run business Wyncraft Essay As a Family run business Wyncraft produces high quality decorative home wear, ranging from mainly wooden products as well as high quality pottery, decorative metals and table decorations. Wyncraft will produce these quality products by using wood from only sustainable Norwegian Forests to maintain the future of the business and the environment from which the products naturally and originally derive from. Objectives: Staff levels of Wyncraft Wyncraft operates with different levels including: Technical the practical job roles involved with production of goods, staff perform tasks set out by manager and supervisors etc. Workforce are usually without authority and controlled by managerial and community level staff. Staff at this level- * Jack in addition to one full-time and one part-time member of staff in the sanding and varnishing department * Fred, Albert (Tub) and JR (John Roberts) are hands on in the cutting department and 8 full-time production staff, * Despatch employees 3 full time staff and one driver Graham * Part-timers and home workers assembly assistance * Assistant/secretary Jean Hudson, * Yvonne human resources role, * Harry sales, personnel as well as the books Managerial the technical level interrelates with the managerial level, which is concerned with the co-ordination and integration of work at the technical level. Generally supervisors/managers, the main role is to outline the specific requirements to the technical level form the community level. Other roles include dealing with customers, clients and suppliers. Staff at this level * Harry manages and oversees all operations of the company providing him with high responsibility and authority. * Jack manages the sanding/varnishing department * JR oversees the production department Community the board of directors, this level makes decisions of how the company is to be run by the other interrelated levels. They are responsible for the operation of the organisation as a whole they have authority to provide regulations/requirements in which the rest of the organisation must comply with. In addition this level interrelates with the managerial level to inform of such procedures. Staff at this level * Harry * Jack * Albert * Fred All the brothers above are the owners/directors of Wyncraft where as Harry has more of a managing director role. Although the brothers are at the community level they do operate in the technical level and most operate in the managerial level too. The three levels community, technical and managerial can be represented in a diagram to show the interdependence and authority levels. The diagram highlights the fact that each level could not survive without the other levels. Wyncraft Memorandum To: Harry Roberts From: Ryan Johnson Date: 5/12/04 Re: The importance of good organisational structure Although there are many factors and constraints, which can affect a company structure there is a need to establish a framework of order and system of command by which the work to be undertaken is accomplished successfully. This implies that attention be given to the design and implementation of the company structure. Structure can make or break an organisations (Mullins 2002 p.536) Organisations are groups of people brought together for a specific purpose, for this to be achieved successfully people need to be organised within the best possible structure. (Mullins 2002) In relation to Wyncraft it is necessary to organise and formalise the company into a structure in order to expand successfully and attract and recruit new staff. Good organisational structure can be a means of dividing responsibilities and tasks equally and fairly amongst executives to ensure a simple, effective and functional process for Wyncraft. At present it would appear that Harry Roberts has a higher responsibility level than his co-owners, it can cause pressure for one person to have the majority share in responsibility. It is not good for the company or Harry to oversee all departments and company functions, the role should be shared to ensure that quality is being produced within Wyncraft. If there were shared roles in high responsibility tasks then this could guarantee service and production are of an acceptable standard for Wyncraft. Furthermore specialist staff within managerial department roles could provide Wyncraft with higher standards and production leaving the executives more time to concentrate on further selling and expansion. Wyncraft Proposed Organisation Chart There are many possible structures for organisations to use when considering producing an organisational chart, function, area, process, product and customer. * Function most common structure used, involving the company being split up into departments or specialisations. * Area used by large national or multinational businesses, the concept being that co-ordination is implemented from Head Office to ensure that efforts are not duplicated when different locations carry out similar activities. * Process this is used when requirements for different skills are needed, for example when product is manufactured it passes through several stages requiring different skills for the stages of the process. * Product This is used in large organisations or for companies that have wide product ranges. * Customer this is used when a business has different types of customers who need different and specialised treatment or modified service or products. Most organisations will structure themselves in a way that a variety of structure options are used, different departments could be structured using a different format. In relation to Wyncraft it is appropriate to consider using chart structures that are relevant to its production and process. Although all options should be considered I propose that Process and Function are more practical in terms of Wyncraft. Looking at the above descriptions of structure options Product, customer and area can be ruled out, this is due to the size of the company being relatively small in comparison to large multinational companies and the product range generally quite limited. It is important to remember the main function of the company: production of environmentally friendly quality home wear, which leads on to the need for clear process and function management. Read more:Â  Family Run Business Proposed Process chart for Wyncraft: How Wyncrafts product is manufactured requires different departments/functions with different skills etc. The diagram above illustrates the process in which the product is made which highlights the need for a clear functional process. With a sufficient functional chart or structure then the process above can be implemented. Departments such as personnel are necessary to be part of the company but are not necessarily part of the process involved in the production of the product. Therefore although personnel and marketing etc. need to be considered a separate structure chart is not necessary at this stage. Proposed function chart for Wyncraft: Organisation Functions An organisation consists of departments they usually take the following format: * Personnel the function of Personnel is typically to control recruitment, provide staff training, promote legal and safety requirements and create policies and procedures. In relation to Wyncraft personnel Yvonne manages issues and although she does not work full time for the company she takes a leading role in this department. Harry oversees this department and manages this role if necessary to cover any period of time Yvonne is not present. Being a company that only employs 48 people many of the typical functions of a Personnel department are not carried out. The kind of issues Yvonne would deal with within Wyncraft would be the less formal and personal aspects of Personnel for example staff absence etc. * Production typically the function of the production department includes manufacturing the product, establishes priority order for consumer demand, works within standards and budgets and maintains flow of production. In relation to Wyncraft the main focus for the company is production, the list above does reflect the function of this department in Wyncraft well. The production department is responsible for cutting; shaping, drilling and preparing all the wood used in the production of their home wear products. They are heavily reliant on machinery and control machinery maintenance and must adhere to safe practice as well as storing and controlling materials. * Sales typically this department sells the product and continually looks to expand and increase sales for the company. In relation to Wyncraft Harry mostly undertakes this role and concentrates on targeting major department stores and smaller (high quality) independent china/gift stores. Sales for Wyncraft is different to most organisations as selling direct to customers would actually most likely loose custom for the company. Sales for Wyncraft are expanding overseas due to the success of their web page; the main function of this department now is to concentrate on expansion overseas to supplying to the major department stores. * Marketing generally consists of establishing consumer demand, promotes the product, examines the market and conducts market research. In relation to Wyncraft it seems apparent that there is no actual department for this function. Harry oversees this role and perhaps as part of his sales he also implements some form of marketing, however as Wyncraft is a small company it is realistic that there is no specific marketing department. Strong client relationships with major department stores could provide Harry with enough knowledge on consumer demand and market research etc. * Finance this department deals with all monetary aspects of the company. Typical roles include, balancing accounts, planning and expenditure, wage and salary administration and account management. In relation to Wyncraft Yvonne is responsible for wages and accounts Harry takes control of the company accounts, all companies no matter what size need to manage their accounts and obviously pay their staff. Wyncraft does not have a specific finance department due to the small size of the company. * Purchasing this department would generally be in charge of buying in materials required for production. In relation to Wyncraft all wood is bought from sustainable Norwegian Forests and quantities are provided from the production department, the product range for Wyncraft is small and therefore no specific department is required to buy repeat materials. * Research and Development this department usually provides improvement for production methods and processes through research, identifies new technology and researches new products. In relation to Wyncraft there is no research and development department although progress has been made on the technological aspect with the implementation of the successful web page. Interdependence between these departments can vary between companies in the case of Wyncraft where not many specific departments exist then it could be assumed that the dependence occurs without recognition. The finance department will provide obvious constraints to all departments because without funding they cannot function. The main function of Wyncraft is obviously production and without this the other functions would have no purpose. Sales department is reliant upon production and vice versa because without demand production is pointless and without production sales are not attainable. Relationships within Wyncraft: = Line relationship = Functional relationship = Staff relationship = Lateral relationship Staff can operate with more than one relationship an example of this is Harry who operates in a staff relationship with his secretary, a line relationship with JR and Jack Roberts and also a lateral relationship with many of the other members of staff.

Elecdyne An Electronic Company Economics Essay

Elecdyne An Electronic Company Economics Essay Elecdyne, an electronic company, which is located in Japan, is looking for an opportunity overseas as it is facing a fierce competition at home. This report analyses foreign nations with regards to labor costs, technology, market demand, culture and risks. The data that are collected from various sources analyzes the market potentiality for the products in other countries. The countries that are been chosen for expanding globally are USA, Russia and China the reasons are the following: USA known for the largest economy. Russia known for one of the fastest growing economy. China known for the aggressive economic growth in the 21st century and for the cheap labor cost. In order to analyze deeply into these countries, STEEP, PEST and FDI analysis are been chosen. STEEP Analysis: Socio Culture: Target Market, Age Range, Income Brackets, Technology: Technological infrastructure, RD, Advancement of new technology and Innovation Economic: Infrastructure, Labor cost, Exchange rates, inflation rates, interest rates, unemployment rates and wage level. Ecological: Global warming, Recycling, green energy, CO2 Omission and waste handling. Political: Unions, trade barriers, risk of war, laws and taxes and political stability. STEEP analysis is the method to evaluate the business opportunities in other countries. This analysis helps them choose the best out of three compared countries for expanding the business overseas. The socio-culture plays a vital role in segmenting the target market for their products. The market demands are different in different countries. The age groupings are considered very important in todays business world. In terms of Elecdyne, which is an electronic company producing products from televisions to CD players, mostly attracts the youth population. So, considering the youth population is other countries are important. Technological factors differ in other countries. Japan, which is considered to be an advanced country, could find other developing countries lacking such as China or Russia, but the market may be lucrative in terms of business. They may need to import technology from back home or from other advanced nation such as USA. For an example, technological infrastructure in China may not be that advanced as compared to Japan, so Japan would need to use its own RD infrastructure to target Chinese market, which in turn could raise the cost of production. Most of the time, political factors of the country affect the business policies. Business laws in Japan are different from other countries. Elecdyne performed in Japan under Japanese laws have to perform different in China, Russia and USA due to the local policies that they have, as this could affect or may lead to rethink of opening up businesses in those countries. Economic situation is the main factor that attracts foreign companies to look at the market, because of the raise in purchasing power among the citizens, but businesses look beyond purchasing power such as exchange rates, infrastructure, labor costs, inflation rates, unemployment rates and wage level. Elecdyne is attracted towards the labor costs and the local purchasing power. Ecological is the new factor that plays in todays world of being responsible towards an environment. We had seen world leaders gathering for the global warming situation and asking the entrepreneurs to take up the responsibility of promoting the green energy and eco-friendly products. These factors are forcing the companies to reinvent new strategy for their products, right from productions till the consumptions. Internal and External Analysis: Weakness Strength Wages are so low that they are fail to attract new employee Elecdyne has more than 20 years experience is japan Invention has been so under rated that they are no where near in the market Staff have been familiar with english language SWOT Analysis will be used to analyze internal factors and PEST Analysis for the external factors. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. PEST stands for political, economic, social and technological. External Analysis: Political USA Russia China Japan 1 2=10 3 -2=-10 3 -2=-10 2 0 War Risk (5) (ONDD, 2012) 1=good 7=bad 1 2=4 3 -6=-24 2 -2=-8 1 0 Political Risk(4) (ONDD, 2012) 1=good 7=bad 19 35=7 133 50-=10- 80 -40=8- 17 0 Corruption perception Index (5) (International, 2012) 10 (very high) to 0 (low) 1 4=12 2 -2=-6 3 -4=-12 1 0 Transfer Risk (3) (ONDD, 2012) 1=good 7=bad 61 -90 -70 0 Total Economic Japan China Russia USA GDP Growth rate (The World Bank, 2011) 5 -0.7% 0 9.3% 10=50 4.3% 6=30 1.7% 1=5 GDP per capita (The World Bank, 2011)4 $45,903 0 $5,445 -6=-24 $13,089 -8=-32 $48,112 2=8 GDP Purchasing Power (C.I.A, 2011) 5 $4.44 trillion 0 $11.3 trillion 8=40 $2.383 trillion -2=-10 $15.08 trillion 10=50 Unemployment rate (C.I.A, 2011) 3 4.6% 0 6.5% 4=12 6.6% 4=12 9% 8=24 total 0 78 0 87 Sociological Japan China Russia USA Literacy rate (C.I.A, 2011) 1 99% 0 92.2% -3=-3 99.6% -1=-1 99% 1=1 Life Expectancy (C.I.A, 2011)2 83.91 YEARS 0 74.84 YEARS -2=-4 66.46 YEARS -4=-8 78.49 YEARS -1=-2 Population (C.I.A, 2011)2 127,368,088 0 1,343,239,923 6=12 142,517,670 1=2 313,847,465 3=6 Average Death rate (C.I.A, 2011)1 9.15/1000 0 7.17/1000 1=1 14.1/1000 -2=-2 8.4/1000 2=2 Total 0 6 -9 7 Technology Japan China Russia USA RD expenditure (The World Bank, 2008) 3 3.45% 0 1.47% -3=-9 1.04% -6=-18 2.79% -1=-3 Internet Users (C.I.A, 2011)1 99,182,000 0 389,000,000 6=6 40,853,000 -5=-5 245,000,000 3=3 Mobile users (C.I.A, 2011)1 129,868,000 0 986,253,000 10=10 236,700,000 2=2 313,848,000 4=4 Total 0 7 -21 4 Cost Inflation rate (C.I.A, 2011)4 -0.3% 0 5.5% -4=-16 8.4% -6=-24 0.9% -1=-4 Interest Rate (The World Bank, 2011 3 3.7% 0 -1.1% 4=12 -6.4% 6=18 1.0% 1=3 Total 0 -4 -6 -1 PEST WEIGHTED AVERAGE Japan China Russia USA P 0 -70/4=-17.5 -90/4=-22.5 61/4=15.25 E(market) 0 78/4=19.5 0 87/4=21.75 E(cost) 0 -4/2=-2 -6/2=-3 -1/2=-0.5 S 0 6/4=1.5 -9/4=-2.25 -7/4=-1.75 T 0 7/3=2.3333 -21/3=-7 4/3=1.3333 Total 0 3.83333 -34.75 36.08 Summary of PEST Analysis: From the analysis, USA market looks attractive according to the situation faced by Elecdyne. USA has the fast growing economy and it is a great chance for the Elecdyne to grab the share of the market. USA also has great number of youths in the Country to buy the products. With comparison to other three countries in the table, they find USA as the best alternative for expanding internationally. USA also has a low labor cost as compared to other three countries and geographically nearer to Japan as well. It is highly competitive market, but it is lucrative once succeeded. Options of Internationalization: There are three options for Elecdyne to go International or establish business in China. The following options are: 1. Joint Venture 2. Acquisition 3. Greenfield Site Joint Venture with other existing firms in USA can help Elecdyne to merge into the market quickly. This venture is one of the most common strategies used by the foreign firms to enter into the country. The positive impact of this venture is that they can learn the consumers quickly and efficiently using the existing firms in USA. The negative side of the venture is that Elecdyne would lose its profit share to the local firm that is ventured with. Acquisition technic may look attractive, but have risk to it. It is always quite expensive to buy out the firm in USA and hope for profit out of it. It is risky, but once succeeded it is profitable. There are risk factors attached to it. It is always safer to look at the government policies for the foreign firms. FDI investment policies are different in different countries. Greenfield Site project are mostly used by very large corporation of developing the underdeveloped land. Risk involved with this strategy is very high especially in a country like USA. Political risk involved with it is higher. The government could seize the land if needed or may not be willing to make an agreement for a longer period of time.

Free College Admissions Essays: Describe A Person who has Influenced You :: College Admissions Essays

College Admissions : Describe A Person who has Influenced You Everyone is affected by certain events or individuals that greatly change their life. Many people have influenced me during my life. Three wonderful friends that have had a special effect on me are Robert, Tiffany and Ashley. In the four years that I have known them well, they have been my best friends, and have helped to transform me from a lonely middle school scholar into a happy senior with a decent social life. Popular wisdom has it that, "You judge a man by his friends." Earlier in my life, that would have been difficult, because I had few friends other than my cousins. I concentrated mostly on school and sports, paying little attention to life outside my studies. My high grades made me the target of torment during elementary school, the name calling: nerd, geek, and worse, was so bad that I was ostracized by some of the class, and I shielded myself by further isolation. My Middle School experience was no different. I was still a loner. All the dances passed by, and I found other, solitary ways to occupy myself. I rarely took time to hang out with fellow students during weekends or vacation time. Then came high school, and in Mrs. Krawet's Global Studies I class I sat next to this energetic guy named Robert, who joked about the no-brained teenagers working in 7-11's, made fun of the way our teacher dramatized the pronunciation of the Huang-Ho and Yangtze Rivers, and satirized the teacher's methodology of hand-signals for facts, generalizations, and cause/effect. Finding common ground in our senses of humor, and love of the TV Simpson's, we grew acquainted with each other. Later in the year we teamed up as the defense lawyers in a class mock trial in which Mao Zedong was charged with crimes against the people of China. To Mrs. Krawet's dismay, "legal wrangling" caused the mock trial to last two weeks, even though she had planned for it to take three days, until it was resolved by a split decision, with the jury voting 6 guilty and 6 innocent. More important than the result was the experience of friendship and shared learning. We each had a great deal of fun preparing questions for the witnesses and planning our cross examinations, and after the trial we remained good friends.

My Grandmother Essay -- Creative Writing Personal Narrative Essays

My Grandmother My grandma has a bobcat. It lives on her roof. She’s called the police twice; they told her that bobcats don’t live in her climate. I imagine the police at the station rolling their eyes, groaning to their colleagues that Gloria from Cherrywood Lane is calling again. Or maybe they put her on speakerphone so everyone can laugh. So Grandmother called my mom to say that a bobcat lives on her roof. My mother asked her â€Å"Do you really think it’s a bobcat?† â€Å"No† my grandmother said, â€Å"It might be a lynx.† My grandmother is a four-foot tall, three-foot wide Jewish woman with long white hair. She wears flea market jewelry to the point of capacity. Her arms are several pounds heavier than need be because of the twenty or so gold bracelets she wears around her wrist. I live in awe of the fact that her body has not separated from her head due to the gigantic golden bust of a sphinx she wears around her neck. She smokes Moore cigarettes, lighting one off of another. My grandmother is strange. She’s what prudent people call a â€Å"character† and blunt people call a â€Å"nut job†. For one thing, her house is filled with stuffed animals. I don’t mean that she has a lot of stuffed animals. I mean that her house is full of stuffed animals the way that a body is full of organs. There are no places to sit. There are no surfaces on which to eat. She names them, she dresses them - her house is FULL of stuffed animals. My mom and I used to eat there every other Sunday. In addition to the animals, my grandma collects cuckoo clocks. There are several in each room but none accurately tell the time. We would shout to her over the constant and cacophonous chiming and gonging. Our voices had to travel not just ... ...onder, though, about the breakdown of our unit. Is it better for my mother to entertain my grandmother’s stories purely out of a sense of duty? Or is it okay to write someone off, even a family member, who doesn’t contribute happiness to your life? Do you have to love someone because they gave birth to you? After all, my grandmother has certainly caused my mom a great deal of heartache. I don’t know the answer. In light of my grandmother’s craziness I can only be thankful for my mother. Were she to imagine the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man on her roof I would be on the next plane home. I’d build a proton pack out of cardboard and sit with her and comfort her until he went away. I’d dine with her in the living room, eating with my back turned to her so she’d still be comfortable. I’d help her name her stuffed animals and wind her clocks so they all chimed at once.

World Population Essay -- Environment Populated Essays Papers

World Population Works Cited Not Included Population causes a heated debate among many people. The world's population has exceeded 6.5 billion and continues to increase about another 76 million each year. The three most populated countries are China, India, and the United States. Scientists have become worried that the population will double within the next 50 years, exceeding 12 billion people. With scarce natural resources and the strain that a doubling in population will cause on food availability, people become more wary about population control. What is population control? Population Control is the practice of limiting population increase, usually by reducing the birth rate (www.wikipedia.org). The first country to adopt a population control policy was India, though that did not stop the country from passing the 1 billion mark. In 1952, 6.5 million rupees were made available to conduct studies in fertility and family planning (Samuel, 54). For the first five years (1952-1956), the Indian Government was not sure what to do with the information and the population continued to grow at a rate of two per cent per year. After 1962, the Indian Government decided to limit the size of families, yet did not have to put effort into persuading the people to favor the idea. However, the people lacked a serious motivation to limit their procreation (Samuel, 56). India's population continued to grow. Contraceptives were also introduced, yet even after the education of the people, they went unused. The women were not given a choice when it came to reproduction. The men did not want to use the contraceptives, and they could not be forced by their partners. It was said that without an improv ed standard of living and improved education, ... ...t. The United States can support its population, but is still having problems with pollution. The hungry can be fed, the poor can be clothed, but the pollution is still much higher that desirable. The issue becomes a question of availability of natural resources and food. The question becomes "How do we produce more for a growing population on less land with less available water?" Is it ethical to control population? Should the government of any country mandate contraceptives or limit the amount of children a family can have? Does this remove the agency of the people? Can people themselves be trusted with the agency of how often they can procreate and how they feed, shelter, and clothe their children? It seems as though if population goes unchecked, mankind will wring out every last drop the Earth has to offer. The question then becomes: "What will we do then?"

Just War and Pacifism

Religious Studies lust War and Pacifism (l) Examine the view that some wars can be Justified. (21) What is just war? It's the act of war that must be justified because of the considerable losses which war entails. Pacifism? The pacifist will pursue every other option a prior to resorting to war. War actually has some advantages and can be justified; mainly It establishes peace. It stimulates the economy e. G. Weapon development, employment, reparations, rebuilding. War raises consciousness of call and human rights.It also advances technology and medicine. The Just War theory was developed my Augustine during the 3rd century and Aquinas during 1 13th century. This theory responded to the need for Christians to fight for the defense of the empire, but without compromising Christian principles, following Constantine conversion to Christianity. There are three categories: Jus ad bellum (conditions for going to war), Jus in belle (conditions during war), and Jus post bellum (conditions fo r ending war). Jus ad bellum has to have a Just cause e. . Aberration from oppression, to restore peace, protect the innocent, and self defense. Last resort which means after all peaceful methods of negotiation, sanctions; isolation; have failed. The legitimate authority has to approve e. G. The elected or recognized government of the land; religious authority If appropriate; military government that Is the legitimate authority A Just Intention should be present, a Just outcome as means e. G. Not to take a nations wealth is the process of lecturing peace.There should be a comparison of justice on tooth sides; in principle both sides should have a just cause and a Just intention. A reasonable likelihood of success, do not commit a nation to an unnamable war that will lead to Increasing suffering. Also, the level of weaponry should be proportionate to the offense e. G. Conflict becoming a country for a dispute over trade. Jus in Belle, the conditions during war. There should be reason able proportion between injustices fought and suffering cause, but is the suffering worth it? E. G. Vietnam war. Considerably not World War II, conceivably so.The use of weapons would be proportionate; weapon technology changes and develops during the course of war- it should remain proportionate to the weaponry/man power of the enemy. Warfare must be discriminate, targeting non-competent, civilian facilities, medical facilities Is not Just. Jus post bellum, the conditions for bringing an end to conflict. First of all you should provide assurances to combatants about the terms necessary to end a conflict. Provide terms for the end of war and guideline for the construction of peace treaties. Prevent continuous fighting throughout peace negotiations.Also, prevent draconian and vengeful peace terms. It limits the chance of future generations, suffering, and conflict reigniting. War crimes punishment should distinguish between 1 OFF aggressor in two forms; compensation to the victim for losses incurred and war crime trials for the aggressor. Terms for settlement should be measure and reasonable and should be made public. Leaders, soldiers, and civilians must be distinguished. Basically, wars can be Justified if only you follow these principles and have a good, thoughtful and peaceful reason to start a war. T) To what extent can this view be challenged by pacifism? (9) What is pacifism? The belief that war is incompatible with obedience to the gospel of Jesus, and is superseded by the command to love enemies and pray for persecutors, particularly Christian pacifism. Also, it is possible to be pacifist on humanitarian principles without religious focus. Absolute of total pacifism is no engagement in any military activity. It's notable associated with the Quakers and Amiss and it's unofficially the policy of many individual Christians.Jesus referred to SE violence and taught his disciples not to respond violently e. G. â€Å"Put your sword away, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword† (Matthew 26:52). He forgives his executioners: â€Å"Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. † (Luke 23:34) This quote by Jesus was taken out of most Bibles because the writers disagreed with the forgiveness of Jesus' executioners. Jesus could have been more revolutionary; Steven Brandon has argued the case that Jesus was a zealot. Also, religious support came from Paul e. G. ‘Do not take revenge, but leave room forGod's wrath' (Romans 12:19); Judgment belongs to God, it is not humans responsibility. Paul also teaches submission to, not rebellion against, the ruling powers. ‘Do you want to be free of fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you' (Romans 13:5). This was the pragmatic teaching in a time of impending persecution. ‘The spirit of Christ, which leads us into all truth, will never move us to fight and war against any man' (The Quakers). Even though a war can b e Justified, it doesn't mean it is a good idea to start it. Pacifism challenges the Just War theory.No matter how it can be Justified or what kind of peace you want to establish, war is always bad. Pacifism is a very religious but at the same time peaceful and the right view. ‘Christian peacemakers†¦ Are to live at peace†¦ Love their enemies, overcome evil with good†¦ And become ministers of reconciliation' Noon Sotto). Only the most wise and enlightened will understand pacifism and disagree with Just war. But even though pacifism seems like a solution to all our suffering, people will never achieve it because humans are too selfish and too obsessed with power and money. Just War and Pacifism Religious Studies lust War and Pacifism (l) Examine the view that some wars can be Justified. (21) What is just war? It's the act of war that must be justified because of the considerable losses which war entails. Pacifism? The pacifist will pursue every other option a prior to resorting to war. War actually has some advantages and can be justified; mainly It establishes peace. It stimulates the economy e. G. Weapon development, employment, reparations, rebuilding. War raises consciousness of call and human rights.It also advances technology and medicine. The Just War theory was developed my Augustine during the 3rd century and Aquinas during 1 13th century. This theory responded to the need for Christians to fight for the defense of the empire, but without compromising Christian principles, following Constantine conversion to Christianity. There are three categories: Jus ad bellum (conditions for going to war), Jus in belle (conditions during war), and Jus post bellum (conditions fo r ending war). Jus ad bellum has to have a Just cause e. . Aberration from oppression, to restore peace, protect the innocent, and self defense. Last resort which means after all peaceful methods of negotiation, sanctions; isolation; have failed. The legitimate authority has to approve e. G. The elected or recognized government of the land; religious authority If appropriate; military government that Is the legitimate authority A Just Intention should be present, a Just outcome as means e. G. Not to take a nations wealth is the process of lecturing peace.There should be a comparison of justice on tooth sides; in principle both sides should have a just cause and a Just intention. A reasonable likelihood of success, do not commit a nation to an unnamable war that will lead to Increasing suffering. Also, the level of weaponry should be proportionate to the offense e. G. Conflict becoming a country for a dispute over trade. Jus in Belle, the conditions during war. There should be reason able proportion between injustices fought and suffering cause, but is the suffering worth it? E. G. Vietnam war. Considerably not World War II, conceivably so.The use of weapons would be proportionate; weapon technology changes and develops during the course of war- it should remain proportionate to the weaponry/man power of the enemy. Warfare must be discriminate, targeting non-competent, civilian facilities, medical facilities Is not Just. Jus post bellum, the conditions for bringing an end to conflict. First of all you should provide assurances to combatants about the terms necessary to end a conflict. Provide terms for the end of war and guideline for the construction of peace treaties. Prevent continuous fighting throughout peace negotiations.Also, prevent draconian and vengeful peace terms. It limits the chance of future generations, suffering, and conflict reigniting. War crimes punishment should distinguish between 1 OFF aggressor in two forms; compensation to the victim for losses incurred and war crime trials for the aggressor. Terms for settlement should be measure and reasonable and should be made public. Leaders, soldiers, and civilians must be distinguished. Basically, wars can be Justified if only you follow these principles and have a good, thoughtful and peaceful reason to start a war. T) To what extent can this view be challenged by pacifism? (9) What is pacifism? The belief that war is incompatible with obedience to the gospel of Jesus, and is superseded by the command to love enemies and pray for persecutors, particularly Christian pacifism. Also, it is possible to be pacifist on humanitarian principles without religious focus. Absolute of total pacifism is no engagement in any military activity. It's notable associated with the Quakers and Amiss and it's unofficially the policy of many individual Christians.Jesus referred to SE violence and taught his disciples not to respond violently e. G. â€Å"Put your sword away, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword† (Matthew 26:52). He forgives his executioners: â€Å"Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. † (Luke 23:34) This quote by Jesus was taken out of most Bibles because the writers disagreed with the forgiveness of Jesus' executioners. Jesus could have been more revolutionary; Steven Brandon has argued the case that Jesus was a zealot. Also, religious support came from Paul e. G. ‘Do not take revenge, but leave room forGod's wrath' (Romans 12:19); Judgment belongs to God, it is not humans responsibility. Paul also teaches submission to, not rebellion against, the ruling powers. ‘Do you want to be free of fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you' (Romans 13:5). This was the pragmatic teaching in a time of impending persecution. ‘The spirit of Christ, which leads us into all truth, will never move us to fight and war against any man' (The Quakers). Even though a war can b e Justified, it doesn't mean it is a good idea to start it. Pacifism challenges the Just War theory.No matter how it can be Justified or what kind of peace you want to establish, war is always bad. Pacifism is a very religious but at the same time peaceful and the right view. ‘Christian peacemakers†¦ Are to live at peace†¦ Love their enemies, overcome evil with good†¦ And become ministers of reconciliation' Noon Sotto). Only the most wise and enlightened will understand pacifism and disagree with Just war. But even though pacifism seems like a solution to all our suffering, people will never achieve it because humans are too selfish and too obsessed with power and money.

Black Swan: A Film Review Essay

Everyone has heard of ballet, some perhaps just that, while others practice it or just enjoy watching it on stage. Most people have also heard of Swan Lake, maybe even saw it performed in one or another adaptation, as there are many. Then there is Black Swan directed by Darren Aronofski, which leaves most other adaptations in the shade. Darren Aronofski is a most certainly an ingenious director; he’s proven that with Black Swan, as well as with his previous films which, according to Ryan Fleming, â€Å"can justifiably be classified as being disturbingly brilliant, or brilliantly disturbed depending on your point of view, and Black Swan is no different. † Darren Aronofski’s Black Swan is a psychological thriller; the main storyline revolves around Nina Sayers, portrayed by Natalie Portman. Nina is a ballet dancer in the New York City ballet company. Nina’s devoted her entire life to ballet, she does not care about relationships with other people as long as she can dance; she desires to be perfect in every possible way. Both her devotion to ballet and the longing for perfection are fuelled by her mother Erica, a former ballet dancer of moderate success. However, despite Nina’s self-imposed isolation from the rest of the dancers, she sees a rival in Lily (Mila Kunis) when it is announced the role of the Swan Queen has emptied. Much to Nina’s surprise, the role becomes hers. But there is a catch – the director, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel), wants one dancer to play the characters of both the White Swan and the Black Swan, two opposites. In spite Nina’s excellent skills and performance, Thomas fears she is not entirely fit to play the role of the Black Swan, and thus he imposes his own methods to make Nina’s true self emerge. Nina is not aware of that, and when combined with her desire for perfection, it causes her psyche to fluctuate; she even begins to hallucinate, In the end, Nina achieves the so much desired perfection, but for a heavy price. Portman’s portrayal of the character Nina is, without a doubt, one of her best performances ever and truly breathtaking. The character is immensely expressive and she pushes everything from one scene to the other, from one point to the other, all the way up to the end. The film more or less follows the traditional dramatic triangle: the slow escalation and the build-up of the tempo towards the climactic resolve. Nina’s fluctuating personality ollows that path, and she drives everything with it; somewhere along the escalating way, her psyche splits and manifests itself in a surprising manner. It is difficult to draw a line between the reality and the imaginary, between the truth and the illusion. The story as such, Nina’s psychological development, is greatly supported by both visual and sound effects. The impact the film leaves you with would not be the same without those effects; they add an even more subtle feeling of mental exertion. Nina’s scratches and body deformations (a result of her fluctuating personality and hallucinations), for example, look as real(istic) as possible. The climactic end could as well resemble an avalanche. The tempo intensifies, it is almost without control; the rapid changes of scenes, colours and sounds, supported by music, leave the audience without much time to think about what is going on. In the climax, Nina becomes the embodiment of the Swan Queen, her winged shadow reflected on the back wall of the stage; and then the Queen falls. The downfall is Nina’s end after she has fulfilled her desires, wishes and dreams. All in all, if you want to get blown away, then Black Swan is indeed a film you must see. It is magnificent and, as Peter Bradshaw puts it, â€Å"ionospherically over the top, and some of its effects are overdone, but it is richly, sensually enjoyable and there is such fascination in seeing Portman surrender to the madness and watch her face transmute into a horror-mask like a nightmare version of Maria Callas. Brace yourselves before you watch it, make sure you are not one of those with a sensible disposition, it might be too much for you then. You will either like or hate Black Swan, the middle path is virtually impossible to take. It is a film you watch once as it shall remain in your head permanently. A true masterpiece worth every single minute.